Alaric’s POV
I arrived at the office that morning feeling unusually light. It wasn’t the kind of I just closed a big deal satisfaction I was used to. No, it was something softer, quieter—a warmth that sat deep in my chest and refused to fade.
Kimani had that effect on me.
The memory of kissing her before we left the house lingered like a sweet aftertaste. She’d smiled up at me shyly, eyes half-lidded, fingers clutching the sleeve of my shirt as if reluctant to let go. I’d teased her for blushing, and she’d muttered something under her breath that made me laugh the whole way to my car.
Even now, hours later, sitting behind my polished mahogany desk, I could still feel the ghost of that moment. Her perfume. Her lips. The softness of her voice when she whispered goodbye.
I’d never been t
